Garland man faces long prison sentence

Published: Monday, June 16, 2003

TULSA, Okla. (AP)  A Texas man who admitted he traveled to Tulsa to have sex with a person he thought was a 15-year-old girl  but who actually was an undercover FBI agent  will be sentenced Aug. 12.

Ronald James Quatruopolo, 44, could be sentenced to as many as 15 years in prison.

Quatruopolo pleaded guilty last week, saying he traveled by truck from Texas to Tulsa in early April intending to have sex with a minor.

The Garland resident said he had been communicating since February via computer, telephone and mail with a person he thought was a child.

FBI Special Agent Joseph Cecchini was using a computer profile that described him as a 14-year-old girl when he received an instant message from Quatruopolo that asked: "Like older men?"

The two communicated through April 1, when a rendezvous in Tulsa was arranged.

Quatruopolo was arrested April 4 in a south Tulsa parking lot while reportedly in possession of two condoms and a digital camera.